Detector mechanism for bottle filling machine



N. W. LYON Aug. 28, 1956 DETECTOR MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26, .1954

N ORMAN VV LYON N. W. LYON Aug. 28, 1956 2,760,703 DETEC'I'OR` MECHANISMFOR BOTTLE' FILLING MACHINE A Filed Nov. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2YIIIIIIIIIIIII FIG. 4.

IN V EN TOR. N ORMAN W LYON United tates DETECTOR MECHAWISM FOR BOTTLEFILLING MACHINE Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,216

Claims. (Cl. 226-960 This invention relates to a paper container orcardboard bottle filling machine and in particular to an elevating meansand detector mechanism associated therewith in a machine of the type inwhich a bottle support on a revolving turret-operated machine is adaptedfor vertical reciprocation in order to present the bottle to a fillerspout for the filling operation.

One object of the invention is to provide in a bottle filling machine ofthis type simplified means for detect'ng the absence of a bottle and/ oran improperly opened bottle and for preventng the elevation of thebottle support under such circumstances.

The invention will be described in connection with a revolvingturret-type machine for handlng cardboard containers or bottles whichhave a recessed type of closure plug fixed on the container top wall andhinged for swinging 'to a scaling position in the bottle opening.specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing disclosure.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the detector mechanism on a revolvingturret-type filling machine with the casing of the latter cut away toshow the elevating means;

Fig. 2 is a view with parts cut away and similar to Fig. 1 on a reducedscale showing the parts in bottle-filling elevated position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts latched by thedetector mechanism to prevent the elevation of a bottle support andbottle to bottle filling position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a bottle top showing the hingedclosure plug.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a turret base frame member 1with a turret frame 2 supported thereon as on roller bearings as shownat 3 for revolving the turret on the base. On the periphery of theturret at the upper portion thereof are a series of angularly arrangedbottle receiving wall members 4 between which a cardboard carton may bedisposed during its passage around the turret iframe. The turret is alsoprovided with a lower skirt portion 5 on which is arranged a series ofelevator platform mechanisms, such as generally designated by thenumeral 6. Platform mechanisms 6 include a pair of vertically spacedsupport bearing lugs 7 in the bearings of which a slidable stern 8 iscarried. Above the upper hearing 7 the stern 8 is threaded, nuts 9 beingmounted thereon for vertical adjustment. Stern 8 carries at its upperend an overhang 10 of a platform support element 11. The bottom of acarton c is adapted to be seated on an adjustable post 12 verticallypositioned in member 11.

The turret 2 is adapted to be intermittently advanced to successivelypresent a series of cartons c at Stations annularly disposed about theperiphery of the turret for the various Operations of loading theplatform, opening the carton, filling the carton, closing, and sealingand capping the same and for unloading the carton from the turret. Themechanism herein illustrated constitutes lifting and atent intermediatethe ends of the lever.

detector mechanism as positioned adjacent the filling station for thepurpose of lifting or detecting and preventing the lifting of anunopened or improperly opened closure flap on the bottle as it ispresented to the filling mechanism. In Fig. 5 the top of a milk bottleor carton is shown with the closure plug p hinged at 13 adjacent theinner side of the opening 14 of the bottle top wall. The plug p isformed with a recessed portion as at r and is adapted to swing from thefull line position of Fig. 5 to the dotted line position shown thereinso that the recess may be sealed within the edges of the opening 14.Prior to being presented at the filling station at which station afilling spout 15 (Fig. 2) is adapted to be extended within the opening14 for the filling operation it will be appreciated that the plug p isfolded back against the top wall of the carton in the full line positionof Fig. 5. Thus the plug will cause no interference with the insertionof the filling spout 15 in the bottle opening 14 as the bottle israised. The mechanism as disclosed herein is adapted to prevent theraising of the bottle for such insertion in the event the plug p is not'folded back properly. If the plug is properly positioned the containerwill be lifted vertically and the valve lever 15' pushed upwardlyagainst its spring 16 on the valve spout. The filling operation takesplace in the raised condition of the carton.

In the drawings Fig.` l represents the non-filling position of thebottle elevator mechanism; Fig. 2 represents the filling positionthereof; and Fig. 3 represents the relative position of the parts of theelevating means with the detector' mechanism in latched position,wherein the operation of the lifter mechanism is rendered inactive.

As best shown by Fig. 1, the lifter means includes a lever mechanismgenerally indicated by numeral 17 with the lever pivoted as at 18 on aframe bracket mounting 19 The pivot 18 is posi tioned inwardly of thevertical wall of frame support 1 at one side of the verticallyreciprocable bottle support 6 at the bottle filling station. The leverextends through the sidewall of the frame 1 and at its outer end isformed with a lifter portion 20 for engagement against the lfting stem 8and carriage of the same upwardly. Portion 20 thus elevates the bottlesupport from non-bottle filling to its bottle filling position. Inwardlyof the pivot 18 at the inner end of the lever a cam roller 21 is carriedfor engagement by a cam wheel 22 fixed on a drive shaft 23 suitablydriven by a motor (not shown) through the chain and sprocket connectionindicated at 24. The cam 22, as best shown by Fig. 4, is formed to holdthe inner end of the lever 17 depressed for the greater period of onerevo- 'lution of the cam and thus serve to hold the elevated position ofplatform 6 during the filling operation.

' At the outer end of lever 17 is an underslung extension 25 with anupwardly turned end 26 pivotally linked to a vertically disposeddetector rod 27. The rod 27 extends from the link 26 to a guide support28 suitably fixed to the bottom end of the filling chamber housingindicated at 29 and from which the filling spout 15 depends. The rod 27is freely slidable in the block 28 and carries in lower spaced relationthereto a latch arm stop 30 adjustably fixed on rod 27. Pivotallycarried in block 28 and at right angles to the rod 27 is a rotatablelatch pin 31 extending in the direction of the spout 15. On pin 31adjacent block 28 is fixed a depending latch arm 32 adapted to freelyhang with its tip upwardly adjacent stop collar 30 of rod 27. In thisposition the arm 32 prevents upward movement of rod 27. Also fixed onpin 31 at the end thereof is a bent detector finger or feeler 33. Thefinger 33 is angularly set with 'elation to the arm 32 and is adapted tohang freely with its outer bent end 34 in the path of a recessed plug ofa carton when the plug, as in Fig. 5, is folded back away from theopening 14. Thus, when a carton is brought into registration at thefilling sta-

